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LETTER: A telling moment

Submitted by admin on Sun, 12/23/2018 - 12:00am

To the Editor:

There was a telling moment at the Dec. 10 West St. Paul City Council meeting, a moment that spoke volumes about our divided political culture. The council chamber was filled that evening with the friends and supporters of outgoing Mayor Jenny Halverson. During the public comment period they formed a long line at the podium to sing the mayor’s praises and laud her progressive vision. I think it is fair to say the room was truly aglow with warm feelings and hopeful thoughts.

And then it happened. An older resident, one who clearly didn’t get the memo, had the nerve to step forward and complain about, of all things, his property taxes! And just that quickly, the warm glow was gone, the hopeful mood shattered. Following speakers tried to restore the magic but the older resident’s tone of grievance and complaint had effectively broken the spell, which leaves me with one troubling question.

How are progressive leaders like Mayor Halverson ever to guide us to a more equitable, inclusive, non-binary future when there are those who would weigh us down with their selfish concerns, those who would have us look at nothing more than the small black numbers on their property tax statement?